New 'Cybertongue' Technology Could Save 70 Million Tons of Milk Each Year

Scientists in Australia have invented a new device called 'Cybertongue' that could prevent huge amounts of milk from being wasted. The technology was created by a company in Canberra and can test milk quality in just three minutes. This is much faster than the old way, which took two to three days. About one-sixth of all milk in the world gets thrown away each year, which equals more than 150 million tons.

Stephen Trowell founded the company PPB Technology and created this new invention. He explained that the device uses special proteins called biosensors to measure milk quality very accurately. These proteins can detect an enzyme called protease that can spoil milk products. When protease levels are too high, the milk might go bad faster than expected.

The technology helps dairy companies know if their milk is good enough for different products. If the milk has high protease levels, companies can use it to make cheese or yogurt instead of throwing it away. They can also treat the milk to make it safe for drinking. This smart approach means less milk gets wasted and more people can have fresh dairy products.

Before starting his own company, Trowell worked for 30 years at CSIRO, a famous Australian science organization. During that time, he led a project called Cybernose that could smell things like wine and explosives. The original idea was to help winemakers test their products better. Later, the government wanted to use the technology to find dangerous explosives.

The new testing device helps companies find out where problems start in their milk production. It might be on the farm, during transportation, or in the factory. By finding these problem spots quickly, companies can fix them before millions of gallons of milk go bad. This saves money and helps make sure people around the world have enough nutritious food to eat.